IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM
People love to travel, so much so that in 2015 over 1.2 billion tourists crossed the world by air, land and sea (UNWTO). From city holidays to hiking trips, travel can be beneficial in a number of ways for the community, the environment and your personal well-being. However, the planet is fragile and both tourists and suppliers are endeavoring to understand how they can lessen their impact. This means doing the least harm possible to the natural environment, valuing and protecting the local culture, and providing as much economic benefit as possible.
Whether you already are a committed green individual at home, or you just want to learn how to become a green traveler, Awesome Pakistan provides useful information about all possible attractions within the country i.e. Cultures, Museums, Lakes, Forts, National Parks, Valleys, Regions, Mountains World Heritage sites, Mausoleum, Beaches and Islands etc. to assist you to plan your journey in Pakistan.
To be an aware and conscientious traveler will help protect the places we love.
We owe it to the local people and to future travelers who, like ourselves, want to enjoy unspoiled sites and cultures.
A FEW FACTS ABOUT TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Often travel and tourism is taken for granted and few people know how large, complex and fragmented this industry is. In 2015, the tourism industry generated over $1260 billion dollars in revenue worldwide (UNWTO).
It is no wonder then, that travel and tourism can provide many great benefits to many regions worldwide. There are, however, many things that could be done differently to avoid damaging the wonderful places we visit.
WHY AWESOME PAKISTAN WORKING FOR THE PROMOTION OF TOURISM IN PAKISTAN
There are few key benefits of tourism in any country
economic,
socio-cultural
environmental
Economic benefits - Tourism can provide direct jobs to the community, such as tour guides or hotel housekeeping. Indirect employment is generated through other industries such as agriculture, food production, and retail.
Visitors' expenditure generates income for the local community and can lead to the alleviation of poverty in countries which are heavily reliant on tourism.
Economic diversification is important to areas where there may be a concentration of environmentally damaging industries such as mining or manufacturing.
Infrastructure development such as airports, roads, schools, hospitals, and retail areas have the potential to benefit the local community and can aid economic development by allowing more trade and better flow of goods and services.
Social benefits - Tourism can bring about a real sense of pride and identity to communities. By showcasing distinct characteristics of their ways of life, history and culture, tourism can encourage the preservation of traditions which may be at risk of
Environmental benefits - Tourism provides financial support for the conservation of ecosystems and natural resource management, making the destination more authentic and desirable to visitors. It also adds more value to the local tourism business.
WHY PAKISTAN IS IMPORTANT FOR TOURISM
Pakistan is located in the hub of the South Asian sub-continent home of rich historical and cultural heritage and interesting in its own way Pakistan used to be the home to one of the globes most-initial places where people had come to live and build homes the great Indus Valley Civilization in the pre-historic era, the centre of old empires, religions and cultures.
Strategically being located at the historical crossings, it connects Southeast Asia with Middle East and Iran in the West with accessibility to the land locked Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics. This land has been a witness to the historical and civilization changes with immense impacts on its people as well as their language and culture.
The Pakistan tourist destinations comprise of popular attractions which are major points of sightseeing in Pakistan. There are plenty of historical sites and idyllic spots like world’s highest mountains, deepest sea ports, beautiful beaches and islands, peaceful valleys, cold and burning deserts, world heritage sites, oldest civilizations, and varied flora and fauna. The idyllic atmosphere matched with the diverse culture and rich historical traditions have made the country an ideal destination for thousands of tourists from all over the world.
Pakistan as a tourist destination is a special interest destination its main attractions include adventure tourism in the Northern Areas, National Parks and beaches of Sind and Balochistan, cultural and archaeological tourism as found in Taxila, Moenjodaro, Harrappa, and early Muslim and Mughal heritage of Multan, Lahore. The Karakorum Highway has provided a great opportunity for international travelers to explore the unspoiled natural beauty, unique culture and traditions of the Northern Pakistan together with other Silk Route destinations like China, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Primary Attractions Unique Mountains, Valleys and Glaciers: Northern areas of Pakistan, spread over 72,496 sq. Km. with heights varying from 1000 m to over 8000 meter the valleys of Gilgit, Hunza and Skardu recall Shangri-La. The people with typical costumes, folk dances, music and sports like polo and buzkashi provide the traveler an unforgettable experience. Nowhere in the world there is such a great concentration of high mountains, peaks, glaciers and passes except Pakistan.
Nature and Adventure From the mighty stretches of the Karakorams in the North to the vast alluvial delta of the Indus River in the South, Pakistan remains a land of high adventure and nature. Trekking, mountaineering, white water rafting, wild boar hunting, mountain and desert jeep safaris, camel and yak safaris, trout fishing and birdwatching are a few activities which entice the adventure and nature lovers to Pakistan.
The Indus Valley Civilization was at its peak from the 3rd till the middle of the 2nd millennium BC Discovered in 1922, Moenjodaro was once a metropolis of great importance, forming part of the Indus Valley Civilization together with Harrappa. Harrappa, another major city of the Indus Valley Civilization, was surrounded by a massive brick wall fortification. Other features and plan of the city were similar to that of Moenjodaro. The Kot Diji culture is marked by well-made pottery and houses built of mud-bricks on stone foundations.
SHORT INTRODUCTION OF AWESOME PAKISTAN
“Awesome Pakistan tally up the Pakistan’s most-visited attractions, and gathered the most recent data supplied by the attractions themselves or from government agencies, industry reports, and reputable media outlets. We defined “tourist attractions” as cultural and historical sites, natural landmarks, and officially designated spaces”
VISION
"To make Pakistan one of the most sought after ecotourism destination in the world and to built a professional ecotourism online and physical network, which serves as a model for ecotourism in the Asia and pacific Regions"
MISSION
"Ecotourism in Pakistan to be used as a tool to conserve the environment, to assure maximum economic benefits to the host community, preserve age-old cultural heritage, provide in-depth information online about Pakistan and to satisfy the needs of both national and international Ecotourists visiting genuine eco sites in the country"
GOALS
"Focus of Awesome Pakistan is the social and trying hard to improve online infrastructure to promote ecotourism, promote pro-poor, community-based sustainable tourism in rural areas, and strengthen of regional cooperation. Awesome Pakistan believes ecotourism could mitigate environmental degradation, develop human resources, and promote cooperation between private and public sectors in Pakistan"
FOCUS
• To present Pakistan as an outstanding destination on the world ecotourism map
• To trigger the transition of Pakistan’s tourism industry from the traditional "sun, sea and sand" based mass tourism to nature based tourism, with an emphasis on ecotourism
• To play a pivotal role in enabling ecological preservation and community benefits, by educating communities, tour operators and ecotourists to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity through the website and physical workshops or seminars."
